


All pain

by anigil_Isa



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Action, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angst with a Happy Ending, Childhood Friends, Childhood Trauma, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Protective Lee Minho | Lee Know, Worried Han Jisung | Han
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-26
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-17 22:08:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28981638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anigil_Isa/pseuds/anigil_Isa
Summary: Jisung and Minho meet in an unusual way. The story follows their fate from childhood to adolescence. After the storm comes a rainbow in the end.
Relationships: Han Jisung | Han/Lee Minho | Lee Know
Comments: 2
Kudos: 46





	All pain

Jisung slept soundly that night until a strange noise brought him out of his unconscious state. He called out to mom, as any worried child in the middle of the night would do. But he heard no answer. Instead, he heard unfamiliar, hostile voices. They were quite close to his room. And it looked like they were getting closer.

Jisung's room was at the very end of the corridor. It also meant that he had nowhere to run. Which he would not have done anyway, because his body was paralyzed by fear. With his eyes wide open, he could only watch as the three men stormed inside.

Jisung made an almost silent squeal at the sight of them. Two of them grinned, one looked bored. In seconds, Jisung was captured by these thugs.

They led him outside his room, dragging him down the hall to the living room. This time, Jisung let out a loud screech.

"Shut up, kid." One of them growled.

But how could Jisung be quiet when a sob shook his body. All because he saw his parents. They were lying on the floor. They looked downright grotesque. His mother had weirdly twisted limbs. She was lying on her own rug, still wet and sticky blood. Jisung's father, on the other hand, had a more visible wound. There was a handle sticking out of his eye. The father was closer to the door, he probably wanted to protect his wife and son. Well, he failed. Jisung knew they were dead.

Tears were dripping down his cheeks. One of the men laughed. Within moments, Jisung was abducted from his home. Was it still home if no one had stayed there? At least not alive.

Jisung didn't know where he was. He only heard their conversation. Even though he was only a child, he knew he had been taken, hostage. But what are they going to do with him?

He looked at the two from the end of the carriage in silence. His tears were dried on his face. They must have felt his gaze on them, for they finally turned their heads towards him and stopped talking.

"What are you looking at, kid?" One of them snorted.

"Because you have such a pretty face, man." The other replied they were joking as if nothing serious was happening. As if Jisung's world hasn't just collapsed. As if they didn't.

Jisung's eyes tightened.

"You'll get a beat, kid if you just stare.

The one who drove them spoke for the first time at the front of the car. "Hush over there! Don't touch the boy, it's supposed to be intact. Remember."

They were silent for a moment, but then one of them whispered.

"You'll regret it, hell is waiting for you, little shit."

The other one slapped him on the head after these words. "You were supposed to be quiet, don't tell him anything. It's just a kid, you think he knows what it means to be sold?"

Sold? Well, Jisung had some idea. It didn't sound a bit happy.

"If he doesn't know, I'll tell him. It's called slavery." The guy grinned at Jisung's growing grimace.

For these words, his colleague slapped him on the head again. Then they rode in silence. Jisung was numb, his thoughts seemed empty as well.

The journey seemed endless in his mind. Eventually, however, they stopped. As it turned out at the edge of the forest.

The kidnappers scrambled out. One of them grabbed Jisung and dragged him out as well.

There was no one else around. The night was slowly fading away.

"We'll get some sleep, and in the evening we move on. We have a long journey ahead," said the one who looked like a leader. The rest nodded.

"Don't try to run away, you bastard." One of them said as he was tying Jisung's legs with string. The rope was attached to the wagon, so Jisung could not go further than a meter.

He sat huddled beside the wagon while the kidnappers went to sleep. After they fell asleep, he couldn't contain the pain anymore and began to whimper. His little body was shaking. Not only out of fear and despair. It was very cold, and it hadn't snowed yet. The kidnappers slept under blankets (they have also dressed adequately for the winter weather), and Jisung was sitting on the ground in his pajamas. The wind whipped his tear-burned cheeks, making them feel even more frosty.

Jisung finally began to drift away. Is it the tiredness of crying or the bitter cold? Dawn was surprisingly colder than the night. He had trouble keeping his eyes open. He was snapped out of the numbness and half-sleep when someone tapped his shoulder. Jisung shook his head and looked around with difficulty opening his eyes. Has he had hallucinations? There was a boy crouched next to him. He looked a little older and was just using a knife to free Jisung's legs. Jisung opened his mouth, but the boy quickly glanced at him and narrowed his eyes warningly. It meant they had to be quiet.

Suddenly one of the men muttered in his sleep. Then he moved. The boy froze as did Jisung. Their anxious eyes met. The boy put a finger to his lips and stood up. He walked over to the sleeping men with the knife. 

Jisung's eyes widened as the boy leaned over the face of one of them. He picked up the knife, then drove it straight into the middle of his neck.

Jisung covered his mouth with his hands to keep from screaming. He started shaking even harder.

The boy, on the other hand, stood over the middle man. With similar precision (or maybe his hands started twitching slightly?) he aimed his bloodied knife at the man's closed eyelid. 

This time Jisung squeaked in horror. He couldn't stop it. Not with the knife digging into the captor's eye so easily. It reminded him of the sight of his father and the blood pouring from the eye socket down his face. 

Unfortunately, this sound must have been too loud, as the last captor jumped awake from sleep. Soon he noticed his companions lying beside him, whose sleep would be eternal. And the boy standing over them, the knife dripping blood that he had just taken out.

“What the fuck-” The Kidnapper screamed furiously and grabbed the boy at the speed of light, knocking the knife from his hands and lifting him into the air.

"What a brave child! It is a pity that this is your end. What an honorable death." The kidnapper sneered and squeezed the boy's throat.

Jisung saw the boy thrash as he suffocated, his legs dangling in the air.

Then Jisung looked down at his feet. The boy managed to free him. Shaking Jisung got to his feet, the kidnapper had his back to him, and the boy's knife was lying on the ground quite close ...

He felt in a trance as he walked over and picked up the knife. The knife was smeared with blood. Jisung looked at the boy who was running out of oxygen and his face was starting to turn blue. There was no time. Jisung gained control of his body and stopped shaking. The world was cruel, Jisung realized it. So he crouched down and stuck the knife under the captor's knee with all the force he had.

The man cried out in pain and sudden shock, releasing the boy from his grip as well. Jisung yanked the knife away, the kidnapper was on his knees. He turned and looked at Jisung hatefully. It was obvious that he was going to attack. So Jisung once again gathered his strength, knowing that the boy could not help him because he was panting while lying on the ground. Jisung had to repay, save them both.

He lunged at the kidnapper and, sitting on him, stabbed a knife straight in his heart.

Adrenaline rumbled through his veins. Even when there was an overwhelming silence, it was over. Jisung was still sitting on his parents' dead murderer. He continued to grasp the knife stuck in the man's chest.

"It's alright now." He heard a rushing voice. Then he felt a hand on his shoulder. A comforting touch. He looked up at the boy, who was already looking better. He wasn't blue in the face, but his neck would surely show large bruises.

Jisung got to his feet without pulling his knife. He looked silently at the taller boy.

"How old are you?" The boy asked, keeping his hand on Jisung's shoulder.

"Five." He replied in an emotionless voice.

"I'm seven, I'm Minho." 

At that moment, Jisung felt snowflakes on his skin. He shuddered as if he had just remembered the chill and his thin pajamas.

"You must be cold." Minho nodded sympathetically and untied his red scarf, then handed it to Jisung.

Jisung only looked at it while holding it in his cold and bloody hands. The scarf was brighter than blood.

"Okay, right here." Minho easily took the scarf and tied it around the neck of the five-year-old. "What's your name?"

"Jisung. Your scarf is warm." He focused entirely on the sensation, tucking his head into the soft and warm material of the scarf. The smell was also reassuring and pleasant.

"You're welcome, let's go. I live in a cabin nearby."

So that's why Minho found him, luck would have him lived in this forest.

"What now?" Jisung asked as he crossed the threshold of the cottage.

"Now you can stay here." Minho sensed that this question meant Jisung had nowhere to go. "Don't worry, I live with my father. He should be home from hunting soon. I'll talk to him, but he certainly won't mind."

Indeed, it turned out that Minho's father didn't mind. In addition, hearing the boy's story, he felt so sad that he immediately suggested that Jisung call this place his new home. 

"You can sleep on my bed." Minho offered. Jisung was already washed, he was given fresh clothes, although a bit too large for him and slightly hanging down. Even so, Jisung tied the scarf back around his neck. He squeezed its hanging end in his little hand.

"I owe you my life." Jisung whispered softly.

"All right, you must be tired. Go to sleep." Minho walked over and patted his hair.

Jisung obeyed and went to bed, the sheets of which smelled like a scarf. This scent allowed him to relax, enough to close his eyes and go to sleep without panic.

After a few nights, however, the smell faded and Jisung didn't even notice when he suddenly woke up in the middle of the night, sweating with his heart pounding. There were terrible nightmares in his head. His body began to tremble with a familiar terror. His soft sobs must have woken Minho as he moved on the mattress on the floor beside the bed and lifted his head.

"Everything's okay?" He asked sleepily, rubbing his eyes.

Jisung shook his head in response, hot tears sprinkling his cheeks again. Minho's intuition must have been high as he immediately jumped to his feet and sat on the bed next to the younger boy.

"Shhh." He patted his head reassuringly and took him in a hug.

A familiar, soothing scent filled Jisung's nostrils, so he nestled closer to Minho's arms.

"Do you want me to stay here?" Minho asked gently still stroking his hair. The answer was a gentle nod of the head. "All right. Lie down."

They both lay down, pulling the covers up to their chin. Jisung was trying to move slightly forward, unnoticed. Minho made no comment, understanding that the boy needed support. So they lay close to each other, feeling a pleasant warmth from the other body. There was nothing better in winter. And Jisung slept until morning with no recurring nightmares. For these reasons, they decided to sleep on one bed until the end of winter.

"Impressive." Minho's father clapped his hands. "You are quite strong for a child." He commented during one of the first training sessions.

He had been teaching his son to fight for years. And now also little Jisung.

At first, Jisung wasn't too thrilled about swinging the weapon. But over time, he got used to carrying heavy objects in his hands that he used to fight Minho.

Naturally under the constant supervision of his father. Although it was not without a few mishaps and small accidents. For example, the one time he accidentally cut Minho's jaw. It was a small incision, but Jisung had a panic attack when he saw the blood. For the rest of the day, Minho had to assure him that nothing had happened, and Jisung followed him step by step anyway.

Obviously, Minho won all of their matches, having more experience and being older. But if you believe Minho's father, Jisung had innate abilities and trained quickly. Becoming better and better and his movements having greater precision.

"You can call me uncle." Minho's father stated at the beginning of autumn when the first leaves from the trees were beginning to fall.

"Really?" Jisung's eyes gleamed with excitement. Uncle. It meant family. It means that Minho and his father want him in their family. Jisung wasn't so happy for a long time. Maybe apart from how he and Minho splashed in the pond in the summer after training.

"Are we friends?" Jisung asked quietly as Minho was just about to put out the candle in their room.

"Of course." Minho turned his head, surprised by the question.

"The nightmares are back ..." Jisung muttered, almost as if he didn't want Minho to hear him.

Almost a year has passed since their meeting. It was another winter, memories painfully returned a few nights ago. They slept separately from spring, Minho's father made a separate bed for him. They continued to share a room and Jisung did not want to be intrusive. But he had been having trouble sleeping since winter started.

"Gee. You could have told me earlier." Minho clicked his tongue. "Does my presence help?"

"... yeah." Jisung muttered without looking Minho in the eye.

"Then move over." Minho smiled widely, then extinguished the candle. "It's warmer this way." He shrugged his shoulders as he added. He did not mind sleeping in the same bed with a younger boy, he knew that it was still difficult for him to come to terms with the events from a year ago.

"Why don't you take me hunting, Uncle?" Jisung asked with a scowl.

"Everyone has some responsibilities. I and Minho go hunting, and you take care of the house. The garden is your field, you lead it perfectly." Uncle answered seriously.

"I can do both!"

"Gee, Jisung. We really don't need any more hands to hunt. The two of us are enough, what do you want to hang around there for." Minho rolled his eyes and fell back onto the couch.

"But I'm 8 years old! And you hunted when you were younger."

"That's not the point, Jisung." The uncle sighed, denouncing his son from the answer. "We were just the two of us back then."

Jisung took a deep breath, wanting to continue the conversation and present his arguments, but after seeing his uncle's gaze, he abandoned the idea. He pouted and turned on his heel.

"Why do you care so much?" Minho asked out of sheer curiosity as they were already in bed at night. "I know you are awake, don't pretend." Minho snorted and threw a pillow across the room, hitting the back of Jisung's head straight.

"Ouch!" Jisung turned quickly, sounding fully awake.

"You see." Minho raised an eyebrow and smiled crookedly.

"Okay! Because I'm worried. Whenever you go hunting, I'm worried that something will happen to you."

"To me?" Minho raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"I know, I know you can handle yourself perfectly well." Jisung added, waving his hands hastily and trying to explain.

"So what's going on?"

"It's just ... I can't help but worry."

"You're totally cute, you know that?" Minho laughed, it wasn't common, but Jisung really appreciated each laugh. He loved its sound, almost as much as he loved the Minho smell. "Okay, let me tell you something. Someday, the two of us will go hunting. We'll get my father out of this job, how about? He'll retire and we'll conquer these forests, okay?"

Minho was over-exaggerating and it made Jisung chuckle.

"It's stupid." He shook his head but smiled. Nevertheless, Minho reassured him, as always.

Unfortunately, not so many years after this conversation, something terrible happened.

It was an ordinary summer day. Jisung was sitting in their garden looking at the crops. The grass felt nice under his fingertips. The sunset was inevitably getting closer, but Jisung enjoyed it. That meant Uncle and Minho would be back soon.

However, he had not expected such a return.

"Jisung!" He heard Minho's hoarse voice coming from the depths of the forest. It didn't sound very happy. "Barricade the door!" His scream sounded terrible as if he was scared and he was running out of oxygen from constantly running.

Jisung was paralyzed only for a moment. Then he started running. But not inside as Minho said. On the contrary.

Just in time. After a while, he saw Minho leaning against a tree. He had bloodstains on his clothes.

"Why ..." He grunted, pissed off that Jisung didn't listen to him.

But Jisung didn't care, it just mattered to keep Minho from whatever he was running from.

He threw his body over his back. Minho grunted, probably in pain.

"We won't make it." He sighed, almost with resignation and pain.

But Jisung did not accept this option. Whatever it was, it was getting closer, Jisung heard strange noises.

Adrenaline kicked in as he started running. Knowing he can't let Minho get hurt.

He saw their house, he must make it, they can do it.

He heard that monstrous sound again, closer and louder this time. He could be right behind them. 

But they had already rushed to the porch. Everything will work out. Jisung must save Minho.

He kicked the door hard and it swung open. He didn't want to hurt Minho, but he had to hurry so he tossed him from his shoulders to the floor.

"Ooh, shit." Minho groaned, grabbing his side.

Jisung had closed the door and was gasping for breath. He placed the beam on the door, but is that enough? He glanced anxiously out the window. Nothing.

He felt relieved, the adrenaline slowly drained from him, and his muscles began to feel pain. Then he looked at Minho and forgot his own discomfort.

"Christ, what happened?" He knelt beside him.

Minho had a scowl on his face, he had to be injured on his side, which he kept clutching.

"What about uncle?" Jisung asked softly, but Minho gave him such a look that no verbal answer was needed.

"I couldn't protect him." Minho was suffering. Not only physically. It was seen and heard.

"I'll bring the first aid kit ... Are we safe here? What was that?" Jisung felt confused, but what he wanted most was that Minho's wound was not serious.

"I guess so. It doesn't go into the houses. I was sure ... My father and I were sure the forest was cleared."

"What do you mean?" Jisung returned with the first aid kit and a worried expression.

"The monster. Somehow he was in this forest. He was overlooked, he had to hide. He must have been hungry and he met us ..."

Jisung grimaced. Not only for these words but also through the glued T-shirt to Minho's body. The cloth was sticky with blood, Jisung picked it up gently, but Minho grunted anyway.

"How bad is it?" Minho asked, but had already guessed because Jisung breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good."

"I'll clean the wound." Jisung warned and gently touched the gauze with alcohol to Minho's body.

"Ouch."

"It pinches a lot?" Jisung asked thoughtfully and tried to be even softer.

Minho nodded with a grunt.

"I think there will be a scar." Jisung was talking more to himself. The wound was torn. As if a huge claw would do it ... Which is probably true. "Okay, can you stand up a little? I have to take your T-shirt off to put a bandage on you."

He managed to do it without any major problems.

"You're a professional, Mr. Nurse." Minho smiled stupidly to ease the tension. Jisung snorted, shaking his head.

"I'm glad you're okay. I'm sorry that ..." Jisung's eyes glazed over, tears welling up at the corners.

"No. Thank you for saving me, actually, I was just running here thinking to warn you. And like the last fool you did the opposite of what I asked for." Minho shook his head snorting. "But thank you for that."

"You're welcome..."

Apparently Minho wasn't ready to talk about his father. Jisung respected that.

"Someday I'll get my revenge." Minho whispered to himself, Jisung barely heard him. But he understood what he felt.

Thus Minho became the 'head of the house' at the age of 14.

From that day on, Minho preferred to spend time alone. He was afraid that before Jisung he would appear weak. He couldn't afford it, the pressure was too much. He didn't even want to look at him. He felt that he had failed his father. He also couldn't disappoint the poor kid he had saved years ago.

After his wound healed, Minho started training even harder and more seriously than before. He had no idea that Jisung was also training at the same time.

For this purpose, Jisung went to his favorite pond, not far from home.

Minho had much more experience, but he didn't have the agility of Jisung. Minho was driven by a desire for revenge. Jisung, on the other hand, trained to protect Minho. It was his lifetime goal: to protect Minho. Was it healthy? Probably not. But Jisung went through too much when he was young to lose his last loved one in this world.

Time passed relentlessly, and the childhood friendship crumbled in the eyes. They weren't hostile, none of that. On the contrary, they cared too much for the other to reveal their anxiety and pain. They cared for each other silently, stealthily, but it did not go unnoticed.  
"Okay, we need to talk." Jisung set the plate down with a thud. Minho jumped in his chair as if torn from lethargy.

"What is going on?" He asked coolly, but Jisung didn't take it personally.

"We act like phantoms."

"What?" Minho narrowed his eyes, understood little of it.

Jisung sighed and put his hands on his hips.

"Maybe it's time to end this?"

"Huh?"

"I want to change it, Minho. We can't live like this. I mean we can, but what is this life? I personally don't want one like this. That's why I'm asking you for your cooperation."

"Jisung, with all due respect. I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I challenge you to a duel."

"What?!" Minho didn't know what to expect, but definitely not this one. "You want to fight me? Why?"

"Why not." Jisung shrugged.

"Jisung."

"Let's do it tomorrow, I'll let you get ready." Jisung replied ending this conversation and leaving Minho with his plate.

"With swords?" Minho was surprised every moment. He found Jisung pulling two swords from his father's closet. They were for "special occasions", excellent craftsmanship.

"Yes, you have concerns?"

Minho snorted in response and rolled his eyes. "All right. But don't cry afterward." He smiled playfully. Something he hasn't done in the last three years. Jisung held back his own smile, this is not the time for that.

"Are you a genius?" Minho gasped, barely jumping to the side.

Jisung snorted, he was also slightly out of breath. "I've been training."

"Yes me too." Minho replied and attacked confidently.

He scratched Jisung's hand with the blade but didn't notice it. And Jisung ignored it.

"Are we fighting to the death?" He asked amused.

"Are you flirting with me? Is that your tactic?" Minho fought back with another attack. This time, Jisung repelled the attack in no time. Minho didn't even realize that Jisung was behind him.

"I don't need to cheat." Jisung muttered close to Minho's ear. His blade was right next to Minho's skin.

Minho swallowed, if that was his enemy Minho would be dead by now. The blade would easily cut his neck.

"Okay, you won." Minho sighed and tossed his sword aside.

"Hurrah." Jisung said with a voice devoid of enthusiasm. "Does the winner get a prize?"

"We didn't have a deal like that, you little bastard." Minho grunted, slightly in awe.

"Please, let's talk normally." Jisung whispered suddenly. "This is my only request. Let's spend time together. I'm not saying I want to go back to that time."

"So what?"

"I want to start a new time with you. We don't have to go back anywhere, let's start something new. Something of ours. We only have ourselves, Minho. I don't want to suffer just by looking at you."

"How does a teenager get such speeches?" Minho muttered but didn't move. "Will you stop putting the blade to my throat and twisting my hand?"

"Oh my, forgive me." Jisung pulled away, he looked embarrassed as Minho looked at him.

"Okay, I agree to your terms of the prize."

"Wait- Really ?!" Jisung let out a strange screech of excitement.

"Yes. Not so loud. We're in the middle of the forest-" Minho did not manage to finish the sentence. They both heard a growl. Quite familiar.

Minho immediately grabbed his sword from the ground.

"Jisung-"

"You wanted revenge, didn't you?" Jisung cut him off, his eyes sparkling with ... anger? "I also want to avenge my uncle, I will help you."

"It's dangerous."

"I'm 15, not 5. And even if I was 5, I killed a man."

"It's not the same, Jisung. It's a monster, not a human."

"I don't know if I can see the difference." Jisung said firmly, there was nothing to argue about. Jisung was stubborn, he had already made up his mind.

"Just don't be overconfident. It'll get you down. I know what I'm saying." Minho muttered and took a fighting stance, he felt the beast approaching.

Jisung didn't know what he was looking at when the monster appeared. It didn't look like anything he knew. It was absurd.

And yet Minho remained completely calm. When the beast jumped on him, he was ready for it. He pierced her right through. But it wasn't enough. The monster jumped back and growled, more furious.

Jisung stood dumbfounded so far. But when the beast charged again, he returned to his balance.

The monster was bigger than them. It was bigger than if you had added both of them together. He was bleeding, but it didn't seem to bother him too much. Besides rage.

He managed to bring down Minho. At this point, Jisung attacked him. Minho jumped to his feet.

"Don't let him put you down or that will be your end!" Minho screamed and Jisung was about to reply that somehow Minho let him lie down, but he didn't make it. The beast attacked him, and in an instant, his arm vanished into its mouth. Jisung's eyes widened and he yanked out his arm in shock.

The hand looked grotesque. Wounds on every possible side from the beast's fangs. Torn meat from the elbow to the hand. Scraps of meat hung from my hand, and blood flowed endlessly.

"Damn it." Jisung said emotionlessly looking at his hand.

As he stood still, stunned, Minho fought the monster. He was doing well until he looked at Jisung and his wound. This moment of inattention during the fight tipped the scales.

Minho landed on his back again, however, he managed to insert his sword full length into the monster's body. The beast howled loudly but continued panting. It seemed the monster was going to bite off his head. Minho closed his eyes, there was nothing he could do.

But nothing happened. He opened his eyes and then saw a hole where the beast had ahead. Blood spurted in all directions, including Minho's face. Disgusting. He crawled away quickly before the beast's body could crush him.

"Did you cut off his head?" Minho asked in great admiration and further shock.

"It looks like it Minho." Jisung replied with a strange laugh. Minho finally turned towards him, just in time to see Jisung fall to the ground. "I must be losing blood."

"What the fuck, you don't say!" Minho leaped to his body. Jisung looked pale, which was an unnatural sight.

"Don't look at my hand. It looks dumb."

"You're dumb! Jesus, what am I supposed to do." Minho had trouble breathing, he felt a growing panic. He stared naturally at Jisung's torn arm. "We have to take you home." Minho was trembling, which was an unusual phenomenon.

"What about swords?" Jisung groaned as Minho tried to pick him up. Blood flowed incessantly in streams.

"Screw your swords, Jisung. You're dying."

"Everyone will die someday." Jisung replied stoically. Minho finally got him back on his feet.

"Sure, but today is not your day. Don't even dare."

Minho took him in his arms, the younger boy wasn't too heavy. Or is it adrenaline?

"Jisung?" He asked nervously as he heard nothing after a few minutes' walk.

"Yes? How can I help you?" Jisung grunted and opened his eyes to meet his friend's scared gaze.

"This is no time for jokes!" Minho almost cried. "I'm making sure you don't die, you fool."

"How could I do that when you carry me like a princess?"

They finally got to the cabin.

"Okay okay." Minho's voice was audibly panicked. He laid Jisung gently on the couch.

"Do you think the first aid kit will help?" Jisung opened one eye, with difficulty but he would never admit it. He winced as Minho lightly touched his wounded arm.

"Shit, I don't know."

"Just don't fall apart." Jisung joked seeing Minho's shining eyes.

"No time to cry, be quiet, I know." Jisung grunted in response and let his eyelid close.

He must have passed out because the next time he opened his eyes it was completely dark. Well, there was a candle. The glow of the fire fell on Minho and his tired eyes with which he watched Jisung closely.

"Don't flatter me so much or I'll blush." Jisung wheezed, he was short of water, his vocal cords refusing to cooperate.

"You don't have enough blood for this." Minho sighed, but it kept Jisung entertained. He smirked and swam away again.

"Say you didn't die." Jisung felt his cheek pulsate first when he woke up.

"Did you slap me?" He looked accusingly at Minho leaning forward. It was morning already.

"I checked." Minho shrugged. "As you can see, you're alive. Great. Can you promise me you'll keep things like this?" Minho sounded frivolous, but Jisung knew it was just a facade.

"Sure, go to sleep."

"I've already slept."

"Liar."

"Okay." Minho rubbed his eyes and returned to his place in the wide armchair. "But when you die, wake me up."

"Sure thing, buddy." Jisung replied and also fell asleep after a few moments.

The next two days, Jisung would only wake up briefly to drink water. He must have had a high fever at one point.

"Minho, are you my hallucination?"

"No, why do you ask?"

"Because you are too beautiful to be real."

"Okay, go back to sleep, you moron."

Eventually, however, the fever dropped. Jisung was even able to sit down and eat a meal.

"Am I healthy now, doctor?"

"On the mind? We may never know."

"Very funny." Jisung rolled his eyes.

"Look, it's just like you."

They teased each other. They felt ... normal. Eventually. Maybe joint revenge helped, or maybe Minho was too scared at the prospect of Jisung leaving this world. But finally, everything was fine.

"You know what's wrong."

"What?" Minho leaned out of the bathroom, his head still wet though he was rubbing his hair with a towel rather aggressively.

"My arm."

Minho rolled his eyes and walked over. Jisung finally took off the bandage.

"Looks like ... Somebody put it in a grinding machine."

"That someone was you, Jisung." Minho looked at the hand and Jisung had hands. It was not a pleasant sight. The wounds healed, but some strange scars and bumps remained.

"I didn't put my hand in the monster's mouth deliberately."

"How do I know, maybe you wanted some attention." Minho shrugged and Jisung slapped him with his good hand.

"Asshole." Jisung muttered. "End of bandage today! It's time to wear a long sleeve for the rest of my life. It's a pity, no one will see my wonderful biceps again."

Minho snorted in response, genuinely amused.

"Don't over-dramatize. Be glad it's your left hand."

"Oh yes, I'm glad to have one hand almost limp."

"You'll regain strength in it when you train."

"Maybe." Jisung grunted.

They sat on the porch wrapped in blankets, sipping hot chocolate. Night has already fallen.

"I wonder if there are more hidden monsters here."

"If so, let them hide forever. I don't want to give them another hand to chew on. I'm not a teether."

Minho chuckled, Jisung felt proud. He was able to make Minho laugh again.

"Oh, look. It's snowing." Jisung whispered.

"When we met, it was snowing too."

"I know, Minho, I remember."

They both looked up at the sky from which flakes of white, cold fluff were falling.

Minho put down his cup and looked at Jisung.

"You still wear that scarf."

"Every winter."

"And in the fall ... and a little during the spring."

"Shut up." Jisung nudged Minho, but he was smiling. "I just like it, okay."

Jisung looked at the scarf wrapped around his neck. The bright red color has long worn off. But now it looked even prettier. Cosily.

"I'm glad you like this scarf."

"This scarf is as worn as I am, isn't it? It's cute." Jisung replied ironically.

"It just adds to the charm."

Jisung looked up at the words with a raised eyebrow.

"Are you flirting with me?"

"It depends."

"From what?"

"Does my tactic work?"

"What do you want to gain with it?" Jisung chuckled.

"Goodnight kiss."

Jisung paused for a moment, surprised at the sincerity of his words. But Minho was staring at him with such a look that it couldn't be a joke. Or Minho is a good actor.

"Okay." Jisung set his cup down as well. Snowflakes were falling on his warm hands. They melted instantly.

Jisung also started to melt as his lips touched Minho's.

Just for a moment. Gently. But as he pulled away, Minho grabbed his arm, his damaged arm.

"Why so fast?" Minho whispered, pressing their lips together again. His other hand went to Jisung's cheek. Meanwhile, Jisung hugged Minho's neck with both hands. It was as if he was afraid Minho would disappear from the porch at any moment. From this reality.

Minho's hand went up to Jisung's sleeve. Touching his scars, actually stroking them comfortingly.

Eventually they separated to catch their breath.

"We should go inside."

"Are you cold?"

"Hot." Jisung replied getting to his feet. His cheeks were pink. Maybe from frost, maybe not.

Minho smirked. Then he followed in Jisung's footsteps inside.

If you stood close to the cottage, you could hear the conversation.

"I can warm you up like I used to."

"Minho!"

"What? We always sleep together in winter."

"We were kids!"

"You still act like a kid and I love you anyway."

"Like a kid-! Wait what."

"You're cute."

"Okay, you can sleep with me."

"It was enough for me to confess my love? You're easy-"

"Hush! Or I'll change my mind."

"Okay, okay."

"Just don't try anything funny."

"I will not do anything, no worries. But I will make you want to do something ..."

"Minho, I swear-"


End file.
